Wheelbarrow container

Tip Though wind, ice and snow are formidable enemies, many arrangements can last all winter. To be safe, insert plastic liner pots that are one inch smaller than your container to prevent the chance of it cracking as temperatures fluctuate.

Spikes and berries

The layered look

Glass vases, available in a variety of heights at crafts supply stores, are the perfect vehicles to showcase layers of items. Vary the materials and colors according to your own decorating scheme. (Silver and gold ornaments? Red berries?) Put a coarse texture next to a smooth one, and try using contrasting colors, such as green next to red.

This square glass vase has layers of black river stones, evergreens, moss and pinecones. A sprig of winterberries tops it off. Other ideas for layers: rocks, colored glass ovals (found at crafts supply stores), magnolia leaves and dogwood sticks.

Lovely luminarias

The layered look also works for luminarias. Be sure the materials you choose cannot catch fire if candle wax or flames touch them (or use battery-powered candles for an extra measure of safety). To make these luminarias in glass vases, place fat white candles on top of half of the river rocks you wish to use. Continue placing black rocks inside to anchor the candle. Magnolia leaves and a sprinkling of red winterberries complete the look. Don't use holly; in cold weather, it turns black.

For impact, make many luminarias to circle your home or line your porch or entryway stairs.

Glowing poinsettias

Votive candles flicker inside a container of ice and poinsettias. Clip a fresh poinsettia bloom and place in a large plastic cup. Pour distilled water in the cup until it is one-third full. Place a smaller container in the cup, weighing it down with rocks to create a hollow center in the mold. Freeze until solid, then thaw the ice slightly so you can slide out the plastic cups and add a candle.

Frozen color

Based on a French floral design technique called pavé, this one-dimensional winter arrangement is composed of natural ingredients squeezed close together, then frozen in place with water. In this example, Minneapolis garden designer Scott Endres used kumquats, polished stones, cranberries and pepper berries.

Decorate with nature

Decorate an outdoor tree or bush with natural materials. We used dehydrated orange slices, pepperberry clusters and dried pitcher flowers (Sarracenia leucophylla). If you don't have items in your home, look for inspirations at a garden center or florist.

Red-and-green pot

Add sparkle to baskets

Keep hanging baskets sparkling all winter long. Start with a coiled vine basket without a liner and wrap a 100-bulb string of outdoor pearl lights inside, pushing the lights from inside to out. If you like, add ornaments as filler.

Twig accents

White Mitsumata twigs add height and drama to potted juniper; red ornaments and a faux bird add color. You could also use redtwig dogwood or birch for accent branches, or try spray-painting twigs silver or gold.

Cone power

A container doesn't need a lot of different materials to have big impact. This grouping gets its punch from sugar pinecones—10 to 20 inches long. In the largest pot, thick stems of red-stained curly willow add height. Use several greens: boxwood, cedar and white pine.

Start by placing floral foam inside the pot to secure materials. Wire the cones together, and tuck them into the foam. Instead of the boughs, you could use an evergreen wreath to form a collar around the edge of the pot.